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BYU football notebook: Tonga excited to return in time for TCU
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TCU Speed | 12:57 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
BYU has a good squad this year but probably not good enough to overcome
TCU's overall team speed.
TCU 38
BYU 28
TCU 38
BYU 28
Eugene | 6:24 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Sounds like a possibility that we have a full team on the field against TCU.
About the hideous field, what an embarrassment!! There should have been more research done on the grass since I can't believe another year or even 10 years will make it better. Why would a California blend of grass work well in Provo and its high elevation and cold?
About the hideous field, what an embarrassment!! There should have been more research done on the grass since I can't believe another year or even 10 years will make it better. Why would a California blend of grass work well in Provo and its high elevation and cold?
Comments continue below
Anonymous | 7:43 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
For this game, BYU should learn from Oklahomas's mistake. Don't let
Max stay alone in the backfield. On the rare occasion that they try to pass
(Run/pass ratio ought to be 3:1) Tonga should become Max's shadow with one
job to do. Chip off Jerry Hughes. That's it. Nothing but making sure that
guy stays out of Max's grill until the recievers can get into their breaks.
The run game can suck up the safeties and prevent a lot of the "Tampa Two" that causes Max trouble (That's why there have been fewer picks the last games), and if Tonga can slow down Hughes, BYU will win,
The run game can suck up the safeties and prevent a lot of the "Tampa Two" that causes Max trouble (That's why there have been fewer picks the last games), and if Tonga can slow down Hughes, BYU will win,
BYU | 8:15 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Power football with Manase Tonga will be the difference over speed this week.
Smash mouth football. Run the ball down their throats and make them like it.
If Harvey has a 100 yard day from the blocking of Tonga the final score is
31-24.
GO cougars bring your heart and pride to this one. If you can't get up for this game i have my doubts, the coaching staff also needs to bring their A game.
Good luck Cougars.
GO cougars bring your heart and pride to this one. If you can't get up for this game i have my doubts, the coaching staff also needs to bring their A game.
Good luck Cougars.
Pedro | 8:39 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
I am a huge BYU fan, graduated in 85 and have seen some fantastic and horrific
football over the years. Generally when BYU looses it is because they were
out-coached (FSU, last year TCU and Arizona, and at least one or two games every
year). BYU coaches rarely have a well-honed game plan unique to each opponent,
but BYU is good enough to beat most teams. The "we will be OK if we just
execute our normal game plan" mentality usually works for most MW teams,
but for elite teams it doesn't. After the first BYU offensive and defensive
series you can generally tell if BYU has a chance. On defense, if BYU only
rushes 3, doesn't bump receivers on the line, doesn't contain Dalton,
then Dalton will look like a Heisman candidate. On offense if there are no downs
for Riley Nelson, no play action is used, no traps or draws, no deep balls are
thrown, no trick plays, or quick snaps or 3 step drops then BYU coaches (read
mostly Anae) have not adequately prepared the team for success. Tonga's
only role should be to block Hughs. My prediction: outcoached equals loss.
Oklahoma was bigger & faster | 8:47 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Whenever BYU plays TCU those predicting a loss cite team speed. Find something
original. TCU as a team has probably been faster than BYU in all 8 meetings
between these teams. And yet, BYU has usually manhandled that edge into
submission. The record is in favor of BYU 8-3.
Maybe its time you all pick BYU, knowing that TCU will rely to heavily on their team speed instead of all around football.
Actually, TCU is favored to win for another reason. They are a great football team with strengths in all areas of their game and fewer exposed weaknesses than BYU at this point in the season. TCU deserves their higher ranking. But I expect that rank will finally be tested this week.
The last time TCU won in Provo was a controversial one point win. Have they ever won there outside of that? It may be a mistake to bet against the home team in this one.
Maybe its time you all pick BYU, knowing that TCU will rely to heavily on their team speed instead of all around football.
Actually, TCU is favored to win for another reason. They are a great football team with strengths in all areas of their game and fewer exposed weaknesses than BYU at this point in the season. TCU deserves their higher ranking. But I expect that rank will finally be tested this week.
The last time TCU won in Provo was a controversial one point win. Have they ever won there outside of that? It may be a mistake to bet against the home team in this one.
Oklahoma was bigger & faster | 8:49 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Correction: make that all 8 "losses" (all 11 meetings).
SoCalTrueBlue | 9:01 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
O'Neill Chambers is good on kickoff returns, but hasn't excelled as I
thought he would this year at wide receiver. I have been impressed with Brett
Thompson at wide receiver and wish he would get more playing time.
Anonymous | 9:32 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
The BYU home page says they have played 8 times and BYU leads the series 5-3.
stone cold sober | 9:43 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
RE: Okl was bigger and faster & others
I just don't agree that speed isn't a big factor. TCU blew BYU away last year, and it was obvious to me that team speed was one of the reasons. (maybe lack of preparation on BYU's part was the other) In my opinion the SEC is the best college football conference. Why?? Their athletes are usually bigger and faster than other teams. BYU is 2-2 against TCU in the MWC. I may be wrong, but I don't think they've played TCU 11 times. I don't think TCU is unbeatable. However, I think they are favored because they are 1. Very good and 2. Very fast (watch Hughes and Kerley)
I just don't agree that speed isn't a big factor. TCU blew BYU away last year, and it was obvious to me that team speed was one of the reasons. (maybe lack of preparation on BYU's part was the other) In my opinion the SEC is the best college football conference. Why?? Their athletes are usually bigger and faster than other teams. BYU is 2-2 against TCU in the MWC. I may be wrong, but I don't think they've played TCU 11 times. I don't think TCU is unbeatable. However, I think they are favored because they are 1. Very good and 2. Very fast (watch Hughes and Kerley)
TONGA!!! | 10:01 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
This headline should read:
"BYU Fans and Players are excited for Tonga to return for TCU"
Tonga is the man. He is the one on offense who will make a statement and let that so-called, fast, quick, athletic, whatever you want to say D-line for TCU know that they are in a real football game. A couple smash-mouth blocks and even runs from Tonga and even the great Jerry Hughes will be breathing hard!
Payback in Provo!
"BYU Fans and Players are excited for Tonga to return for TCU"
Tonga is the man. He is the one on offense who will make a statement and let that so-called, fast, quick, athletic, whatever you want to say D-line for TCU know that they are in a real football game. A couple smash-mouth blocks and even runs from Tonga and even the great Jerry Hughes will be breathing hard!
Payback in Provo!
Die Verses Die! | 10:04 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Anyone know of a good internet stream that will be carrying the game?
CBT | 10:06 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
This one is simple really since these teams are so evenly matched. the team
that does a better job at protecting the football will win it. You have to have
the mentality that punts are better than turnovers. Do not give the other team
a short field. When BYU gets a short field, they score TD's. When they
give up a short field, they give them up. If Max Hall does not throw picks
and BYU punts instead, they win. But if BYU gives it away more than 2 times,
they lose. Simple as that.
Tonga rocks | 10:37 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Tonga will sting TCU this Saturday.
Y fan | 11:00 a.m. Oct. 21, 2009
10 BYU players had the flu BEFORE the sandeigo game and BYU still pulled of a
close win. I am sure BYU will play TCU the same way they played sandeigo and
UNLV. By playing great offence and keeping those turnovers in check.
BYU 28
TCU 24
GO BYU
BYU 28
TCU 24
GO BYU
I hate Directv and Versus | 12:13 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Its a complete embarrasment that ESPN would be coming to Provo for pre-game
coverage only to hand the game coverage over to some obscure, no-HD, nobody
network that isn't picked up by more than half of Utah. Who's
negotiating these TV deals, FIRE 'EM!!
Little Jimmy Brady | 12:38 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
SHAME IN PROVO! TCU will tear up the field. No Way is BYU as good a team as TCU.
Max is going to be kissing grass all day long!
What?! | 1:32 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
It's funny that the same reasons why people are saying that BYU is gonna
lose to TCU are the exact same reasons people said BYU was gonna get crushed by
Oklahoma...No need to mention how that turned out. Everybody said Oklahoma had
the best defense in the nation and now everyone says that TCU has the best
defense in the nation. TCU's defense is pretty dang good, but don't
make the mistake of thinking that the TCU team from last year is coming to
Provo. TCU lost alot of players from last year. True, Hughes is still freakin
good, but what's the best offense TCU has played this year? Air Force?
Virginia?(Lost to William & Mary) Clemson? North Texas? Colorado St.? Last
year TCU had 15+ turnovers at this point...They have 7 this year. Yeah, that
sounds like a defense that's as good as last year.
Keep an eye out Cougs | 2:27 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
I am not saying that there would be a conspiracy, or that the MWC Refs would be
bias, but the MWC is extremely motivated to see TCU win. It will be very
important for Bronco to keep a close eye on the refs on Saturday. This will be a
close game and BYU can't afford many bad calls.
Go Cougs!
Go Cougs!
Keep an eye | 3:43 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
So Donko has more calls to send in for review....
BRING IT ON TCU | 3:54 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
You horned frogs embrarrased the heck out of the cougars last year. Well, its a
new year baby and it's payback time. Your line backers are going to be
WORN OUT after getting hit by Manase, Harvey, and Kariya all night! Bring It!
Water down the field boys | 4:02 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
We gotta find a way to slow down TCU. Just soak the field. Harvey is powerful
enough to run through it but other teams can't handle it (except of course
FSU...lets not go there) Lets play em' in the Swamp that is LES.
Cougarf@n | 4:04 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
Tonga is a difference maker and I'm excited to see a BYU team play TCU with
him in the backfield. The offensive line had its worst game of the season
against SDSU and I wonder how much of that related to Tonga being out.
As for the officials, if BYU deserves to win then they won't put themselves in a position where the officials can determine the outcome of the game. I think the officials tend to favor the higher ranked team (BYU certainly got some nice calls in its favor against crappy MWC teams like UNM last year, but then BYU got hozed by the officials against TCU in '05), but as long as you are the better team then you can't blame officiating. It would be hard to be a fan of BYU football as a conspiracy theorist.
I'm excited to cheer my cougars on to victory on Saturday. Here's hoping. GO COUGARS!
As for the officials, if BYU deserves to win then they won't put themselves in a position where the officials can determine the outcome of the game. I think the officials tend to favor the higher ranked team (BYU certainly got some nice calls in its favor against crappy MWC teams like UNM last year, but then BYU got hozed by the officials against TCU in '05), but as long as you are the better team then you can't blame officiating. It would be hard to be a fan of BYU football as a conspiracy theorist.
I'm excited to cheer my cougars on to victory on Saturday. Here's hoping. GO COUGARS!
Ron | 10:18 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
I know BYU will beat TCU bye a margin that will surprize all of you Utes. I
think it will be BYU 31-TCU 10. I think AFA will give Utah all it wants, and
will be ahead going into the 4th quarter. So this is my predictions--------I
have thought about this all summer, and hear it is, we can't wait to push
the ball down TCU Throats.....TCU will not be prepared to being behind, and will
not be able to come out of it.
Bill | 10:22 p.m. Oct. 21, 2009
BYU wins this Sat. You say team speed, you utes don/t realize that BYU is
faster and bigger than TCU. Look at the records...........Also Jerry Hughes is
a big blow,,,,,,,,,,He will get stopped on every try at the line...........and
ESPN will say at half,,,,,,,,,I don't think TCU has been prepared to play
such a big game, they are fickle.
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Harvey runs better with Tonga as a blocker.
Max has more time to pass.
And defenses that ignore Tonga pay for it with his running and pass catching.